


It's on

by shedrovemehere



Category: Professional Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Chase Owens has a minor role, I know the dude's a vanity searcher so I'm not taking chances, M/M, florida mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-07-13 22:36:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16027394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shedrovemehere/pseuds/shedrovemehere
Summary: Kenny and Kota didn't want to fight each other again because they know how they are: they half-push-half-inspire each other to higher and higher heights, and forget about everything else. This is also true of their relationship, but it means they stumbled on the best game ever.





	1. Destruction in Beppu, Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a shout out to how the Golden Lovers just keep getting gayer and gayer on main. The explanation above's as good as any.
> 
> It started as part of a new chapter for my Golden Lovers saga, Silver and Gold, but I wanted to go with the theme here. But it could probably be in the same universe as Silver and Gold.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More like pwnage in Beppu!

Kota’s used to the tweets implying Kenny loves him; the one about the chamomile tea, the one about the X-rated beauty secrets, "a freak of nature in the best way." He just kind of appreciatively rolls his eyes when someone points out that Kenny faves _every_ tweet about how beautiful his tag team partner is. That’s run of the mill, and after all, if Kota got embarrassed easily, Kenny would have destroyed him long ago. He's successfully conditioned himself into thinking he's enchanted by Kenny’s public antics. It works out well.

The first and most striking thing they found they had in common: they both feel big feelings. Right away, Kenny admired how honest and vulnerable Kota was; how much he loved and how obvious it was. But Kota’s always hated it—he’s like that because he can’t help it. He’d be way more aloof if he could. It’s always felt like a curse. One of the things that drew him to Kenny was that Kenny saw it as a blessing to have big feelings; never felt ashamed of showing them.

Which, occasionally, is an understatement. Kota’s developed a certain immunity to some of the ways in which Kenny is The Absolute Worst. Unfortunately, it often makes him love Kenny more. No matter who sees, no matter how many people laugh or ridicule or get angry, where they are together, there is no need for self-consciousness. Because Kenny loves that Kota has a million feelings, and Kota loves that Kenny has a million feelings. They’ve built themselves a bubble, a home they carry with them like turtles, where no feeling is too dramatic or deep or ridiculous. What else matters? They’re safe, in their army of two.

Yes, Kota often finds it endearing and is partially immune to it, but that doesn’t make Kenny _not_  The Worst. He very much is, and sometimes, stuff gets beyond the resistances Kota’s built up.

It's turned them back into rivals: they've developed a heated feud over who can make the other crack up in public more easily. Kenny being relentlessly The Worst is a daunting challenge, but it means Kota knows his tactics and is prepared for them. While Kota embarrasses Kenny far less often, the infrequency of his attempts means he can almost always get a reaction. And that, importantly, means Kota is _winning_. Which, in turn, means he needs to be vigilant. Kenny might just be the most gifted embarrasser in modern history, and Kota knows there will be a very dangerous opportunity in Kenny's post-match speech, if he wins his defense against Ishii tonight.

It all started with New Orleans. At the end of their match, Kenny wrapped his arm around Kota’s shoulders, and told the crowd “this is what love looks like.” Touching, right?

Actually, Kota knew _exactly_ what Kenny was doing. Kota’s English reading was slowly improving, and Kenny had recently, after they’d seen it on a sign in the New Orleans airport, explained the difference in meaning between “this is what x looks like” and “x looks like this.” He’d explained that the latter simply describes the thing, while the former implies that the thing is an ideal example of whatever it is.

 _This is what love looks like._ It was not only a declaration of love, it was an inside joke between them, and an attempt to make Kota crack up. The fact that Kenny had made _absolutely sure_ Kota would understand the full meaning of what he said made the love declaration even more beautiful, and the attempt to break Kota’s cool even more devious. But Kota had grinned rather than giggled, because he recognized that Kenny was publicly saying “I love you”—and that the audience was delighted by it—a few seconds before he realized Kenny’s more sinister intentions. By then he was already too emotional about a few thousand people cheering for the _Lovers_ part of Golden Lovers.


	2. WrestleCon, New Orleans

“See? You _totally_ laughed! I got you!” Kenny pauses the video, then rewinds and plays it back.

Kota huffs in indignation. “That is definitely not a laugh, Kenny.”

Kenny makes sure to scoff with the same exasperated hand motion Kota used for his huff. “I could kinda see that... if this were not very obviously and unequivocally evidence that _I got you_.”

Kota demurely looks down at his feet, which are stockinged; halfway through the process of changing out of wrestling boots and into his trademark ugly expensive sneakers. “I know it looks bad, Kenny, I do. But I know in my heart that you did not get me.”

“Okay, please explain this—“ Kenny hits rewind and shows Kota his goofy reaction one more time, “—in a way that does not involve me _totally getting you_.” He’s never going to tell Kota this part, but he’ll probably watch it again a few more times to see Kota’s face light up like that.

Kota takes a deep breath, drops all the humor from his face. Kenny can’t tell whether this is going to be joking-serious or serious-serious. “I was just… when the crowd started cheering, I thought, ‘ _that’s how I feel about it too_.’ I felt really lucky that all those people were happy for us.” He smiles bashfully. That was serious-serious. Kenny grins like this is the first time Kota’s ever implied he’s happy with their life together. Honestly, it’s never gotten old; it’s always made Kenny’s heart flutter exactly the same way it did the first time. Kota’s always been what love looks like.

Since Kota is, against all odds, sometimes the more reasonable of the two of them, he doesn’t obsessively monitor Twitter the way Kenny does. He doesn’t see the supportive and affirming things fans say, which is a shame, because those things keep Kenny going when stuff gets hard. Even though Kenny reads the tweets to Kota sometimes, that might have been the first time he’d actually experienced that love for himself. Kenny’s a little overwhelmed, knowing that Kota got to feel some small fraction of the affection he deserves.  He loops his arms around Kota’s neck. “I believe you. You’re safe for now.”

Kota laughs. It’s the best. “You tipped your hand though, Kenny-tan. I’ll be watching you."

Kenny laughs and leans his forehead against Kota’s cheek. Kota probably thinks he’s wise to Kenny’s love language—trolling—but if he’s going to be watching more closely? That plays right into Kenny’s hand.


	3. CEO Gaming, Daytona Beach

Kota’s ready for him when he says, in his speech after finally beating Okada, that Kota is his “strongest and handsomest” tag team partner. He nods solemnly. Kenny's going to have to do better than that. He pretends not to watch over Kenny’s shoulder the next morning, as Kenny watches his speech. He knows why Kenny’s watching, and he silently celebrates his victory when Kenny turns off the video soon after the “strongest and handsomest” comment. He doesn’t tease Kenny though—his best strategies always involve playing dumb until it’s time to reveal that he’s been watching all along.

Kenny won so much last night. In part, Kota’s ability to keep a straight face was thanks to fighting off the ugly tinges of regret and loss already seeping their way into the adoring pride he felt. Turning this into a small, secret moment of petty triumph eases the guilt a little. He’ll take it.

* * *

The “this is what love looks like” thing and the “handsomest tag team partner” thing didn’t work, but Kenny actually _does_ get the first fall.

Kota almost didn’t make it here, to fucking _Florida_ , and he probably would have been just a little okay with it if he hadn’t. If he can be convinced to come back here, a place heavy with gross humidity and weird memories from an alternate, very unhappy universe, he knows he’d go just about anywhere if Kenny wants him to. As long as Kenny is waiting for him on the other end. Or goes with him. Maybe Kota would be less likely to get lost that way. Despite the anxiety Kota caused, Kenny thanks him in several ways for making the trip, one being spending hours playing video games with him. Even though there's an audience watching them, Kota’s excited. It’s something they rarely get to do.

They have to promote this new wrestling video game, so they play three or four matches as themselves, which is surreal and hilarious. Kota will never stop being amused by pressing a button combo to make an onscreen avatar of himself do moves that are second nature to his actual body. They win a few matches. Even when they’re playing video games, they just know each other well enough to organically move as a team. It delights Kenny so much; he gets that same  _we're so great together_ smile that he does when they tag.

He catches Kota completely off guard, is the thing. Kota had been expecting it to happen in the ring, when Kenny had a microphone in his hand; somewhere he had a huge audience, and Kota had nowhere to hide. He doesn’t realize until too late that this tournament is just such a situation.

Kenny makes his character face Kota’s. “I wanna kiss you, Ibushi!” There are hundreds of people watching in the auditorium and hundreds more watching a livestream. Kota freezes. “Let me kiss you, Ibushi! Muah! Muah!” He bobs his character’s head towards Kota’s character. Kota almost drops his controller laughing, and he knows there’s no denying this one. Kenny grins ridiculously, triumphantly, and the audience is laughing, too. Luckily, among the precious few things Kenny loves more than trolling is winning video games, so he focuses on that rather than giving Kota shit about it. And Kota would be a liar if he pretended it wasn’t _so_ sweet, so very _Kenny_ to find such a ridiculous way to tell everyone who’s listening how much he loves his Golden Lover. Kenny is definitely The Worst, but sometimes he’s the absolute best.

Still, Kota’s never been good at being in second place.

Kenny 1, Kota 0.

 


	4. San Francisco, July 5th

Somehow it never gets easier, to be away like this. Even though Kenny’s been productive and gotten to see some old friends while he’s in the US, the jet lag makes him feel a little less himself. And being without Kota makes him feel a _lot_ less himself.

Kenny perks up a bit, though, when the interviewer asks about him.

“So the Golden Lovers are in this new book,” the interviewer says, holding up a copy of the glossy book with Kenny and Kota smiling on the back cover. She opens up to the part about them. “Have you gotten to read it yet?”

“No,” Kenny says, “but, you know, I was there for most of it.” He grins.

“It sounds like your connection is one-of-a-kind."

“I’m the best version of myself, with him,” Kenny says, appreciating how few fucks he gives these days about his obvious puppy-eyes whenever he talks about Kota.

“That’s true; in fact you say he’s the reason you were finally able to beat your rival Okada and win the Heavyweight title.

“Not only did I train with Ibushi, I also had his emotional support, which meant I had put a bad chapter in my life behind me.” Because there’s really no interview-friendly way to say _I felt like I could finally breathe again. Like I was myself again._

“So, in Ibushi’s part of the interview, when he says you guys are ‘two people who share one heart,’ do you—“

Kenny laughs loudly before he’s even aware of it. “Oh my god!” He buries his face in his hands. “He said what?”

The interviewer giggles a little, and Kenny's face must be very red, because she’s smiling the most knowingly charmed smile as she hands him the book

 

> _"It’s a real life Your Name. Our hearts move the same way together. I guess everyone wants to say we’re a couple! [laughs] I don’t know whether it’s as simple to express as that. We’re two people who share one heart. That’s what I want to say.”_

Kenny has no idea what his face is doing, but he has no words. He knows Kota got him; managed to embarrass him in public. There was no real denying it; it would probably be covered in the interview. Kota’s said things like this before, but it was when they were falling asleep, fingers intertwined, barely making sense and filling in the blanks with feelings. Not to be printed in ink thousands of times for thousands of people to read. He doesn’t really remember the rest of the interview; he feels like he’s floating in soft, glowing static. All he can do is repeat those words in his head, over and over, and think about what he’s going to say when he calls Kota after this. He’s never been so overwhelmingly joyful to have his opponent even a score.

It’s 9pm here in California, which means it’ll be 1pm back home, which means it’s a reasonable hour to call. Still, Kota’s voice is hoarse and he sounds confused when he answers.

“Did I wake you up?”

“No. Yes. I’m sorry, what time is it?” He sounds so adorably confused.

“I think it’s 1pm for you. Did you drink too much last night, Buu-san?”

Kota laughs weakly. “I wish. I’m sick. Same effect but not because of drinking.”

Kenny knows, intellectually, that Kota can take care of himself. He knows Kota’s resilient and can get help if he needs it. But he gets a nervous jolt in his stomach, knowing he’s on the other side of the world when Kota’s feeling bad. He can’t help but fret at Kota a little. “Are you drinking water?”

“I am now. The doctor said I’m sick because I got dehydrated.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I just didn’t really drink water. I sort of forgot,” Kota says, as if that were a normal thing to do, as if the human body does not have several ways of alerting you to its fundamental need for _water._ for. fuck's. sake.

Kenny revisits that ‘Kota can take care of himself’ feeling. He tries not to let his sigh be audible but he’s pretty sure he doesn’t succeed, and he’s glad Kota can’t see him pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. At least his bewilderment at how Kota could forget to drink water is supplanting his worry a little. “Well, keep drinking. Water, that is. I’ll let you get back to sleep.”

“You don’t have to go, Kenny-tan,” Kota says, trying to fake a chipper tone so he sounds like a person who’s in any state to be talking right now. “Talking to you makes me feel better.”

Kenny chuckles at himself a little, for how much of his irritation that instantly wipes away. Not that he’d ever _really_ be able to say no to Kota when his voice sounds soft and muffled by the pillow; how he’d sound if Kenny were there next to him. “Okay, I’ve got a few minutes. Have any interesting interviews lately?”

Kota sounds hesitant. “What do you mean?”

“You know. Have you recently… I don’t know, said something really gay? Maybe something so gay that if I heard it I would probably say ‘Ibutan, that’s really gay’?”

Kota cackles, then immediately groans because the laugh hurts his stomach. “Did I get you?”

Kenny grins. “You got me.”

Kota is making some adorable, grumbly pillow-burrowing noises, like he’s fighting off sleep. “I didn’t mean to, Kenny-tan.”

“What?”

“I want to say I planned it, but I just said how I feel.” He’s slurring a little. “I didn’t think until later that it would crack you up. I’m definitely still taking credit for it, though.”

Kenny always hopes he’ll have something clever to say in the face of things like this. He never does. His chest feels shaky, like if he were a little more tired he’d be crying. “I’ll allow it. Please go back to sleep. Oh, but drink some water first!” Kota must have already had some water nearby, and he makes exaggeratedly loud drinking noises into the phone. Kenny laments how his heart melts at the absolute stupidest things. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Kota manages to slur out sleepily, and he hangs up without saying goodbye.

Kenny’s never felt anything more strongly than he feels their shared heart. Kenny 1, Kota 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a made-up date, I just had to pick a time for this to happen. Kota apparently said this in his interview for the _New World_ book. Chris Charlton tweeted that the answer was relayed to Kenny, which made him say "oh my god" and look extremely embarrassed. The date of that tweet was July 5th, which was 2 days before G1 Special San Francisco, so that's when I made this take place. At the time, Kota actually was sick because he forgot to drink water.
> 
> Idk if any of you have ever had the pleasure of being in a relationship with someone of your same gender, but one of the specific joys of such relationships is saying "babe, that's really gay," when your partner says something sweet or mushy. I don't make the rules, but I have followed them all my life.


	5. G1 Climax 28, Nippon Budokan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, sex is great, but have you tried revisiting the sad haunted houses of your past selves to try to atone for your old mistakes; heal a rift in your heart by doing things right this time?

The whole _Your Name._ thing was a lot. As far as declarations of love go, that one was hard to beat, so, time to up the stakes. What’s more serious than saying you’re soulmates?

He tries it, first, in a promo. He asks Chase to make sure Kota is watching, and watch his reaction. Chase is on the case.

_“Maybe you could be a third top guy, after me and my Ibutan.”_

“He didn’t really do much. He was talking to me for part of it, though. What’d you say?” Kenny shushes him, worried Kota’s in earshot. Chase sighs, pulls out his phone, and checks Twitter. “Was it this line?” There’s a fan’s translation of that line of Kenny’s promo on his screen. Kenny just kinda looks at him a little sheepishly, and Chase bursts out laughing. “Aw, Kenny!” Chase’s eyes soften and he earnestly rests his hand on Kenny’s forearm. “That’s so sweet.” At least he got _someone_.

Ibushi comes into the dressing room, then. Hugs Kenny, pretends he’s going to Too-Sweet Chase, then high-fives the offered sweet. Chase grumbles, presumably because he falls for that one a lot. “Kenny, amazing!” Kota says, excited about Kenny’s win. He doesn’t look particularly like he’s been gotten.

They go out for some steaks, and Kenny keeps trying to casually bring it up; he doesn’t even know if Kota heard it. After about an hour, Chase, apparently fed up with Kenny, just rolls his eyes and hands Kota his phone, which is displaying a tweet. Kota stares, wide-eyed for a second, then _definitely_ without smiling, whips his head to the side so he’s facing Kenny.

“Really, Kenny? Seriously?” Kenny panics, because he sounds mad. Kota just keeps staring. Takes a breath. “After me and my Ibutan?” Kenny freezes. This did not go well.

Kota sighs. “ _Really_. Number 3?”  _Oh_. Kenny stifles a laugh. This did go well, even if not how Kenny intended. Kota’s straight faced, but he’s not serious-serious, he’s joking-serious.

“Well,” Kenny stammers, hamming it up. “I don’t know. Maybe?” He can see that Chase is getting uncomfortable, and he wants to tell him not to worry; they’re joking, but decides against it. The Golden Lovers commit to their terrible jokes, dammit.

"You think Naito could be better than _Okada_?” Kota raises a judgmental, disgusted eyebrow.

“Well, I mean...” He hesitates nervously. He’s goofing, but he actually doesn’t know what to say; that’s a fair point.

Kota looks down. “Bad opinion.” He laughs sunnily and Chase seems a little relieved that they were just joking. 

 

* * *

The score remains tied at one, so Kenny plans better for next time. It’ll be in front of cameras, and Kota will be right next to him. And message-wise, he’s going to up the ante. Not just my _Ibutan_ —

“My partner, my friend, my _life partner_ ,” Kenny turns his head to Kota, who looks nearly catatonic. Dammit. "Ibushi Kota,” he finishes. Didn’t work. As he keeps talking, he’s mentally regrouping, wondering what it was—timing? Not gay enough? He’s on “change the world” autopilot, in the middle of a sentence, when Kota just jumps up and grabs him by the arm, hauling him to his feet. Kenny’s startled, and laughs nervously as he sees the faces of the press folks. Kenny tries to ask him what’s wrong, but Kota is determined, marching toward the stairs to the dressing rooms, dragging Kenny along. Maybe he’s going to be sick… what if he has a concussion and can’t be in the final tomorrow?

Kota shoves him into the room and. Oh. _Oh_.  _That’s_ why they had to leave in a hurry. He grabs Kenny roughly by the waist. He’s probably not concussed. Probably.

As Kota’s hastily closing the door, they both notice it’s dimly lit, and everyone’s gone, which is weird. Kota kinda freezes, lets go of Kenny.

There's a vase of flowers on the table, with a handwritten sign taped next to it: IT’S OVER! GREAT MATCH, GUYS. WE ALL LEFT EARLY. ;) Kenny translates it for Kota. They—the rest of the Bullet Club—wanted them to be able to have time alone after their match. He tells Kota that the winky face means the guys in the Bullet Club have a pretty specific idea of what the Golden Lovers might do postmatch. He thinks Kota believes him.

“Oh, so nobody’s here,” Kota says flatly.

Kenny grabs Kota’s hip, pressing his thumb into the bone just a little. “That’s good, right?”

“Well, it’s fine,” Kota says, still looking around and not really responding to Kenny’s overtures. He shrugs. “I was gonna kiss you in front of all of them, but I already got you anyway, when I dragged you away from the cameras.”

“Hey! That was nervous laughter. I was afraid you were hurt.”

“Still laughter!” Kota laughs delightedly, almost like a squeal, and then just keeps laughing.

“Ibutan, on TV and movies back home, when someone does that… are all those reporters going to think you dragged me up here to fuck me?”

He doubles over. “Yes!”  _Dammit._ He sinks to the floor, still laughing. He keeps going, he just lays down on the floor, on his back, because he’s exhausted.

Kenny walks over, stands right above him, looking down. “Well, I guess you’d better get on with it then.” Kota’s still chuckling to himself. Kenny stops smiling. 

Kota smirks up at Kenny, raising an eyebrow. He tries to lift his head, but remains laying on the floor. “Ask me after I’ve had a shower.”

“I was just kidding,” Kenny says, slowly and gingerly sitting down, favoring his hip. He can hear like 6 different things crack and pop as he sits. It’s probably not sexy. “I’m old, Ibutan. I worry ‘after a shower’ is too ambitious.”

“Me too,” Kota admits.

Kenny joins Kota laying on the floor, heads next to each other, bodies forming a right angle. Both staring up at the ceiling. “It’s nice that the Bullet Club thinks we’re the kind of people who would still have the energy to fuck after a match like that. Kinda flattering, really.”

“If you want, I could describe some things that I would do to you in that universe, where we are those people.”

Kenny laughs, and his chest hurts. He thinks he remembers Kota moonsaulting onto him with his knees. “No, that would just be frustrating.” He still feels that incredible post match energy; he still would pin Kota against a wall if he had any strength left in his muscles. “I mean, it’s a little weird maybe but I’m… uh…” he hesitates, this is such an embarrassing thing to say.

“Hard, but with absolutely no ability to do anything about it?” Maybe it wasn’t embarrassing for Kota.

“Yeah, that.”

“Me too.” Kota exhales slowly, like he's trying to mitigate the feeling.

“In English, we say 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.' We should add, 'also, the dick is willing but the rest of the flesh? Still weak."

Kota laughs and finishes Kenny's revision of the adage: "'because the gods are amused by our suffering.' I _did_ have big plans for you, but I actually cannot move my limbs right now, which is probably fine, right?"

"You’re getting old, Buu-san.”

“And I’m taking you with me.”

“Probably the other way around, actually.”

“I’m older than you, Kenny-kun,” Kota giggles ridiculously.

“Yeah, but you’ve never looked it.” Kota makes an oh-stop kind of noise, which is. Infuriating. “No!” Kenny is trying to make the real irritation in his voice sound playful. “I _truly_ hate you Buu-san, you eat four cheeseburgers and two sundaes for a snack, you get all your hydration from beer and Coca-Cola, and you still look like you got bored of being junior-heavyweight-hot and thought you’d try heavyweight-hot, just for fun.”

Kota scoffs. “Come on Kenny, most days I only eat two cheeseburgers _at most_.” Kenny can hear the troll grin in his voice.

“ _Hate_ you! Meanwhile I eat two Skittles and have to do 400 sit-ups to work it off. And my hairline is receding enough for both of us.”

“I didn't say it…”

Kenny makes a whiny, exasperated noise to signal that he is _done_ losing at this conversation. He exaggeratedly flops his arm around like a fish, trying to find Kota’s hand. Kota finds his first, and they weakly link their fingers together, letting their hands fall back to the floor, turning to look at each other. Kota smiles a little. His hair's stuck to his face, and his lips are parted slightly, like he doesn’t even have the energy to close his mouth. He looks beautiful, even now. What an asshole. All Kenny can do is look at him, study his face.

Doubtless, they’re both thinking about the last time, after Budokan, in this room, or one exactly like it. How, before the match, they’d made all kinds of whispered, debauched promises for what they’d do to each other after, when they were high on that energy. How, after the match, Kenny couldn’t even look at Kota, and Kota didn’t say a word, just slumped against the wall, head in hands, belts in an unceremonious heap next to him. How Kenny had almost left him there, but couldn’t bear to, even as ashamed and worthless as he felt. He remembers going over to where Kota was sitting, grabbing one of his hands, and kissing the top of his head. Kota had squeezed his hand so fiercely, and Kenny squeezed back, and then the wave of disgust washed over him again, and he let go, and left.

Kota’s face is pensive. He knows. “I wish I could tell six-years-ago me about this.”

Kenny laughs a little, but a tear rolls down the side of his face. “Six-years-ago me would not for a moment believe this if I told him. I mean, except for the part where you won. He'd believe that. But if I told him it just made me love you more..." Kenny stops himself. It's too raw and honest, even now.

Kota sighs heavily. “Probably best that we can’t tell them,” he says, choked up. “They’d just had a really tough night."

Kenny knows, and Kota doubtless does too, that they had to go through _that_ Budokan to get to _this_ one, the one where they’re laying on the floor, holding hands. The one where they just, in so many words, talked about how they’re growing old together. Where they’re too tired to fuck, but it’s not a big deal, because they’ve got all the time in the world. The one where he’s a champion, and he’s almost _happy_ that Kota beat him again. Even so, his heart kind of breaks for that younger version of himself, that version of them. They couldn’t have had any idea how hard life was going to become.

Kenny squeezes Kota’s hand. “I think tonight, we made it right, for them.”

Kota squeezes back. “We did.”

Kota 2, Kenny 1.

 


	6. Destruction in Beppu, Part 2

Kota never stops feeling grateful for how common an occurrence it’s become for Kenny and him to leave the ring together, one of them propping up the other. He’s trying to keep that in mind, right now, because he’s kind of annoyed with Kenny.

“That’s quite a length to go to get me to laugh on TV,” Kota says, as they exit through the curtain.

“Oh no, Kota. I wasn’t—“ Kenny sounds caught off guard. “No, no. I meant that. I wasn’t doing the thing. That wasn’t… I wouldn’t… maybe we shouldn’t do that to each other anymore. I don’t ever want you to think I’m just saying things to make you laugh.”

Kota believes him, and it’s actually not that hard. And he realizes, even though they’ve been trying to one-up each other, nothing has been a lie. It might be the wrong time, or embarrassingly honest, but it’s always _true_. “I believe you, Kenny-tan.”

“Good. Did you laugh though?” Kenny giggles to himself. That earns Kenny a very gentle elbow to the ribs as Kota deposits him onto the floor so he can speak to the reporters.

Kota steps off to the side. He doesn’t know what to think. He doesn’t know if he can promise “ _the Golden Lovers are so much more important than this belt_.” He doesn’t know if he can live up to “ _wherever we go, whatever we do, we’ll do with one heart_.” He _thinks_ he wants that, and he’s ready to ride out this wave of mixed feelings; knows it won’t be the last. But even now, he feels _we’re a team_  more strongly than anything else.

And then there's “ _I’m the best entirely because of you._ ” Kota almost cried when Kenny said it, but from overwhelm. That’s so much. He pushes it to the back of his brain. He can’t begin to process it now.

“Ibu-san, come here.” Kenny really is spent, he can’t even sit up very well; slumped against the wall, splayed on the floor. He’s looking up at Kota helplessly as he walks over.

Kota leans down so he can hear Kenny. “Are you—“

“I want to shout 'I love you'.”

Kota cannot contain a stunned bark of a laugh. Kenny is absolutely beaming. He knows.

“It’s from _Slam Dunk_.”

Kota knows this. They’ve been watching it together. He’s trying not to laugh too hard, but his shoulders are quaking, containing it.

Kenny snaps his gaze to Kota’s. His smile is radiant, healing. He grins and stares Kota dead in the eyes as he says, “you know, the anime.” Now Kenny can’t contain himself either.

They both laugh, and the cameras flash. The doubts Kota had before begin to wither in the adoring way Kenny is looking up at him, like nothing else matters. Not the belt, not the press, not the fact that he probably can’t stand up. A moment from now, all of those things will matter, but even then, what could possibly matter more than _this_ moment? Grinning like goofs together, surrounded by people but laughing at a joke that’s only for them; wide-eyed with shared joy. Kota leans against the wall, trying to take it all in.

Kenny looks so, so out of it. “Thank you for staying with me.” Okay, Kenny _is_ out of it. “We will always be the Golden Lovers,” he slurs as he tries and fails to get to his feet. Kota has to basically deadlift him; and as he’s pulling Kenny up to standing, Kenny weakly murmurs “we’re the best tag team,” and it’s hilarious.

“Okay, Kenny.” Kota props him up so they can walk behind the curtain.

“After all, you’ve always been stronger than I am.” Kota’s been laughing for about a minute and a half straight, and he hopes it only counts as one instance of being _gotten._

Kota helps Kenny to a chair backstage, and the first thing Kenny says is “I got you.”

Kota smiles as he kneels in front of Kenny to help him get his pads off. “This is the best fight I’ve ever been in.”

Kenny slumps back onto the chair. “That’s odd, Ibutan, I see you as more of a Golden _Lover_ , not a Golden _Fighter_."

Kota looks up at him, groans, rolls his eyes.

Kenny grins. He’s The Worst. “We could live to be a hundred and fifty, Buu-san, and I'd never get sick of that _you’re-the-worst_ look.”

“Well then it's a good thing you’re The _Worst,_ Kenny.” Kota whaps him in the shin with one of his sweaty kick pads.

“You’ve got big shoes to fill. You’re going to have to kiss me in the middle of the ring to beat that.” Kenny clasps his hands and bats his eyes exaggeratedly, remaining The Absolute Fucking Worst. “I suggest also grabbing my ass.”

“Ugh, no. Then you’d just retaliate by asking me to marry you or something,” Kota says in mock disgust. He finishes getting Kenny’s kick pads off and sits down in the chair next to him.

“Don’t think I won’t, Ibutan. It would be horrible for both of us, but I don’t play to lose,” Kenny says, sternly, resting a hand on Kota’s thigh.

Kota laughs smugly. “Kenny, by now you should know that testing me is a _bad._ Idea. I wouldn’t hesitate to just. Bam. Actually have the wedding.” He grabs Kenny’s hand.

They’re both giggling, and they’re both aware how extremely not funny they are, and that makes it _so_ much better.

Kenny 2, Kota 2. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look, I'm aware that "lover not a fighter" is an English idiom and Kota doesn't do much English but. Fiction. I am sure no one cared, but I DID, OKAY.


End file.
